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Simple Obedience - Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - May 5, 2016

2016May 05

COMMENTS

Simple Obedience

“Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” - (Acts 9:15)

Prior to his conversion, Saul was a leading Pharisee and possibly even a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. He presided over the death of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church. After his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road resulted in his conversion, the Christians of Saul’s day were initially suspicious of his conversion, and understandably so.

When God directed a believer in Damascus named Ananias to seek out Saul and pray for him, Ananias was reluctant, of course. But Ananias did what God told him to do. He found Saul in the place where God said he would be. He prayed that the Lord would restore Saul’s sight (he had been blinded by the light as Jesus spoke to him on the Damascus Road), which the Lord did.

It is interesting that when God wanted to use someone to minister to Saul, He didn’t call an apostle like Peter or John. He called an ordinary man. Ananias didn’t write any book of the New Testament, raise a dead person back to life, or give a notable sermon that we know of. But he did, by faith, take a man under his wing who would do all of the above and far more. Ananias discipled the newly converted Saul who, in time, became the legendary apostle Paul and probably the greatest preacher in the history of the church.

Thank God for the Ananiases of the kingdom, those who faithfully work behind the scenes to make such a difference in our lives. They may be unknown to man, but they are beloved of God.

Watching a loved one stray from God is one of the hardest things for Christians to cope with. What are we to do? What can we do? Do we have a part to play in restoring a person who has fallen away? Yes we do.

Come Home by James MacDonald talks about practical things you can do (or avoid doing) to call your prodigal back to faith. Receive a copy when you give a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.